World Heritage Identification Number: 697
World Heritage since: 1994
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇩🇰 Denmark
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
Map
Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones, and Church: A Testament to the Transition from Paganism to Christianity in Denmark
The Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones, and Church, located in the small town of Jelling in Denmark, stand as a significant testament to the transition from paganism to Christianity in the region during the Viking Age. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, this collection of historical artifacts offers a unique insight into the cultural, political, and religious changes that took place in Denmark during the reign of King Gorm the Old and his son, Harald Bluetooth.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The Jelling burial mounds and one of the runic stones are striking examples of pagan Nordic culture, while the other runic stone and the church illustrate the Christianization of the Danish people towards the middle of the 10th century.
Encyclopedia Record: Jelling stones
The Jelling stones are massive carved runestones from the 10th century, found at the town of Jelling in Denmark. The older of the two Jelling stones was raised by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife Thyra. The larger of the two stones was raised by King Gorm's son, Harald Bluetooth, in memory of his parents, celebrating his conquest of Denmark and Norway, and his conversion of the Danes to Christianity.Additional Site Details
Area: 12.7 hectares
Coordinates: 55.75638889 , 9.42
Image
© Alicudi, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
